Bangladesh Condemns Tripura Killings, Demands Justice

Bangladesh Condemns Tripura Killings, Demands Justice

On October 15, 2025, three Bangladeshi men were beaten to death by a mob in the Tripura state of India. The news came as a shock in Bangladesh. In two days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement denouncing what it termed a savage and senseless killing, and called for a fair investigation.
This was not simply a furor against a single tragic incident. It is just a fragment of a very long narrative, a story that has been penned in blood over the India Bangladesh border over the last twenty years.

India Bangladesh Border Seen Excessive Violence

The two countries share a border that measures more than 4000 kilometers, most of which is located in poor and rural areas, where individuals cross in and out of the two countries for different purposes. These are individuals who dwell on the fence, not outside of the fence. And to many of them, the border that separates the two countries has been transformed into a border that separates life and death.
Besides, this has been highlighted by human rights groups over the years.

At least 1,500 Bangladeshis have died in the past 10 years since 2001 at the hands of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF).

The official justification is practically always identical, which is smuggling, self-defense, and inevitable encounter. Nevertheless, the residents who live close to the border say otherwise. They discuss how the villagers who are unarmed are shot for crossing the line to get firewood, or to bring the cattle home.
In Tripura especially, these incidents have been witnessed in numerous instances. And this recent murder which is a mob slaughter, has brought up old questions again. The questions are that why the bloodshed continues re-enacting itself, and why vengeance so seldom succeeds.

Dhaka’s Firm Response

Moreover, the Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh was not soft in its October 17 press statement. It claimed that killings in Tripura were a serious human rights infringement, and India needs to hold back. Delhi was also reminded by officials that border safety is not merely about fences and patrols, but it is about human lives.
There is exasperation in this voice. Bangladesh has been complaining over such incidents for years. India vows to investigate sometimes, and sometimes to minimize the use of lethal force. However, the violence is still going on.

A Painful Reminder of Bangladeshi Girl

Moving forward, when people discuss border violence with Bangladeshis, the name of one person cannot be forgotten which is Felani Khatun. In 2011, she was only 15 years old when she was shot by the BSF while attempting to cross the border with her father. Her body was hanged on the barbed wires for hours, and this shot turned into a representative of all the evils related to the way the border is patrolled.
Her murderer was later set free ten years later. It is an unhealing wound, and that is the reason why stories such as the one in Tripura resonate so strongly. It is not only sorrow, but the feeling that nothing can be changed.

The Problem of Impunity in India

Besides, one of the major components of the problem is the laws that safeguard the security forces of India. Soldiers and officers are not allowed to be prosecuted by the government without first getting government permission, according to the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). Such permission is hardly granted.
This has led to a culture of impunity that rights groups have been accusing. Murders are done, cases registered, committees constituted, and all is forgotten. The same thing happens with the poor villager, the farmer, and even a teenage girl.

Strained Friendship Between India and Bangladesh

Furthermore, the two countries Bangladesh and India refer to each other as nearest neighbors. They have common culture, trade, and history. However, the border is always a thorn in the flesh. Whenever a person dies there, it tarnishes the mood of the people in Bangladesh and complicates foreign affairs. The latest statement of Dhaka gave an indication of that.

It stated that peace in the region would require respect for human life and the rule of law.

This is a good way of saying that friendship does not imply silence.
India, in its turn, tends to emphasize the necessity to guard the borders not to smuggle, or to illegally cross the border. It is understandable that each nation is entitled to protect the land. However, this still does not warrant lynching and shooting without trial.
However, it is not only about the three people killed in Tripura. The border should serve as reason for people there to live happily.
In case India is really willing to be a leader in the region, it can begin by taking concrete steps to stop the killings of innocent citizens. And in case Bangladesh desires to protect its citizens, it must continue pushing louder each time until something changes. Hence, both sides need to play their part in order to bring peace to the border region of both countries.